Solvent degreasing self-emulsifying cleaning composition



United States Patent Havre de Grace, 'Md., assignors to the United States of 7 America as represented by the Secretary of the Army No Drawing. Filed May 23, 1961, Ser. No. 112,122

- 2 Claims. (Cl. 252118) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes Without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in solvent de greasing self-emulsifying cleaners employing the additive concentrate of Patent Numbers 2,616,856 and 2,680,137. Cleaners of this type are able to remove sodium and calcium base greases, tar, asphalt and preservative type compounds such as rust reventives.

One disadvantage in the previous cleaners employing the concentrates as described is their failure to remove a grease recently put into general use. This particular grease used for artillery and chassis lubrication, is mineral oil thickened with lithium or calcium, 12 hydroxystearate, or blends with stearate, and soaps. Another inherent disadvantage in the class of cleaners described is that their emulsifiability is such that high pressure rinses are required for the removal of the cleaner from the surface.

Therefore, it is the object of this invention to improve the ability of the cleaner to remove the automotive and artillery grease heretofore described without lessening its ability to remove sodium and calcium base greases, tar, asphalt and preservative type of compounds such as rust preventives.

It is a further object of the present invention to improve the emulsifiability of the cleaner so that high pressure rinses are unnecessary.

The improved additive concentrate which is the subject of this invention has successfully accomplished the removal of the new automotive and artillery grease without reducing the ability of the cleaner to remove other soils for which it is intended. This improved cleaner has also been field tested and found to be successful for the removal of aged preservative type compounds which are particularly resistant to the action of most solvents. The emulsification qualities have been improved by this additive concentrate to provide stable emulsions with only a small amount of agitation. Although emulsification is not accomplished by dipping, a light stream accomplished an emulsification equivalent to that previously requiring a pressure stream.

The composition of the cleaner heretofore used for the specific use described consists of an additive concentrate of the following materials in parts by volume:

Example I Parts Cyclohexanol 1.0 Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether 0.5

Diethylene triamine-diacetone condensate (prepared in accordance with US. Pat. 2,616,856) 0.25

Ethanolamine oleate 0.5 Diglycol oleate 1.0

Concentrate by volume 3.25

3,146,207 Patented Aug. 25, 1964 acyclic amine sulphonate type such as Emcol HB or an amine salt of alkyl aryl sulphonate such as Armol 10 in concentrations from 0.5% through 20% was ineffective for the purpose desired when added to this particular cleaner, or when used in conjunction with ethanolamine oleate in concentrations of 0.5% through 8%. Likewise sorbitant monooleate in concentrations of .25 through 5% (saturated solution) was ineffective when added to this cleaner either alone, or in combination with Emcol HBor Armol 10 in concentrations of .5 through 20%, or in combination with ethanolamine oleate in concentrations of .5% through 8%.

However, when all three of these ingredients, Emcol HB or Armol 10 ethanolamine oleate and sorbitan monooleate are constitutents of the additive concentrate, and are added to this cleaner, the particular type of grease now employed is successfully removed to accomplish the objective of this invention. This cleaner containing the improved additive concentrate is effective when all three components are present in the concentrate and in which the concentrations by volume of ethanolamine oleate in the final cleaner may vary from 2.5% to 4.5%, of Emcol HB or Armol 10 from .5% to 3%, and of sorbitan monooleate from .5 to 1.5%. These percentages represent a critical range for this concentrate, since combinations with concentrations lying outside of this range have been found by test to be unsuccessful either in the grease removal of the type described or interfere with the removal of the other soils for which the cleaner is otherwise successful. The use of sorbitan monooleate alone or in higher concentrations tends to reduce the rinsability of the cleaner from the metal.

Tests were run with varying percentages of the ingredients of the additive concentrate to the same amounts of the components of the cleaner, and all of the compositions listed below were approximately equal in the removal of soils. However Example I proved the best combination in the removal of the particular grease for which this con centrate was made.

Example 11 Cycloheiranol 1.0 l 0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 Ethylene glycol ether 0.5 0 5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 Diethylene triamtne d etone condensate M .25 25 .25 .25 .25 .25 Diglycololeate 1.0 1 0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 Ethanolamine oleate 3,5 3.5 2.5 4.5 3.5 3.5 Aromatic acyclic amine sulfonate orArnine salt alkyl aryl sulphonate 2.0 0.5 1.0 1.0 1.0 3.0 Sorbitan monooleate 0.5 0.5 1.0 1. 0 1.5 0.5

Total parts by volume. 8. 7. 25 7. 25 9. 25 8. 75 9. 75

The conclusion from the above results is that the concentrate is a definite improvement in the cleaner without detracting anything from the efliciency of the cleaner in the removal of soils.

thanolamine oleate may be conveniently prepared by dissolving ethanolamine in a solvent such as high flash naphtha and adding oleic acid. The total parts by volume of the additive concentrate in each example is added to parts by volume of the solvent which consists of 70 parts high flash coal tar naphtha and 30 parts of kerosene. Certain high flash aromatic naphthas from petroleum may also be used.

One possible explanation of the observed results, is the building of successive shells to promote dispersion in the solvent. The sulphonate is expected to be attracted to the calcium or lithium in the grease due to its high anionic charge. As this is unable to completely shield the calcium or lithium, the sorbitan oleate could be attracted and held to the negative group by hydrogen bonding and exposure of more negative oxygen subsequently can permit this to bind to calcium or lithium furthering the envelope. Finally the ethanolamine oleate would be absorbed on the sorbitan oleate, the amine hydrogen readily bonding further with all hydrophilic heads, forming an envelope strippable in the oil film. The grease can then be rinsed off through the hydrophilic head.

What is claimed is:

1. A metal cleaning composition consisting essentially by volume of 2.5% to 4.5% of ethanolamine oleate, .5% to 1.5% sorbitan monooleate, and .5 to 3.0% of a surface activc amine alkyl aryl sulphonate and the remainder a solvent consisting of 70 parts high flash coal tar naphtha and 30 parts kerosene.

2. A metal cleaning composition consisting essentially by volume 1.0 part of cyclohexanol .5 part of ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, .25 part of diethylene triamine diacetone condensate, 1.0 part of diglycol oleate, and an additive concentrate consisting of 2.5 to 4.5 parts by volume of ethanolamine oleate, .5 to 1.5 parts of sorbitan monooleate and .5 to 3.0 parts of a surface active amine alkyl aryl sulphonate in a 100 parts by volume of a solvent consisting of 70 parts high flash coal tar naphtha and parts kerosene.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,456,947 Jernstedt Dec. 21, 1948 2,616,856 Rosenfeld Nov. 4, 1952 2,700,654 Holman Jan. 25, 1955 2,731,338 Fike et al. Jan. 17, 1956 2,948,685 Fisher Aug. 9, 1960 2,952,637 Bray et al. Sept. 13, 1960 OTHER REFERENCES 

1. A METAL CLEANING COMPOSITION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY BY VOLUME OF 2.5% TO 4.5% OF ETHANOLAMINE OLEATE, .5% TO 1.5% SORBITAN MONOOLEATE, AND .5% TO 3.0% OF A SURFACE ACTIVE AMINE ALKYL ARYL SULPHONATE AND THE REMAINDER A SOLVENT CONSISTING OF 70 PARTS HIGH FLASH COAL TAR NAPHTHA AND 30 PARTS KEROSENE. 